BR112019028179A2 - sliced food destacker - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet can be oriented to direct the food product cut tangentially to the at least one drum. The flow inlet can be oriented to direct the cut food product to at least one drum at a right angle with a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow out. The system can include a passageway establishing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet can be aligned with the flow outlet.

Description

SLICED FOOD STACKER RELATED REQUESTS

[001] This application claims the benefit of the US provisional patent application Serial No. 62 / 527,737, filed on June 30, 2017 and entitled “Cut Food Denester,” whose content is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Field of the Invention

[002] The modalities described here generally refer to a system for separating food products. In particular, the invention relates to a destacker for cut food products.

FUNDAMENTALS

[003] Generally, chips and other sliced food products are cut using a water knife and subsequently processed by bleaching, drying, whipping, frying and / or freezing. In many fried products, such as straight cut fries, the fries separate easily. However, with the development of more original potato chips, the food product can retain its shape after cutting and requires manual manipulation to separate the chips from one another. The need for manual sorting can substantially increase manufacturing costs and / or reduce the productivity of a cutting system. Other disadvantages may exist.

SUMMARY

[004] The present invention is directed to systems and methods for separating cut food products that overcome and / or mitigate some of the problems and disadvantages discussed above.

[005] One embodiment of a system for separating a food product cut into a plurality of pieces of food product includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The cut food product has a plurality of pieces of food product stacked. The flow inlet is positionable to receive a cut food product to be separated. The flow inlet can receive a fluid, such as water, from a water knife. The flow inlet and flow outlet can be positioned to create a cyclonic flow path through at least one drum. The flow inlet can be aligned with a discharge from a knife block or a water knife. The flow inlet can be oriented to direct the food product cut tangentially to the at least one drum. The flow inlet can be oriented to direct the cut food product to the at least one drum at a right angle with a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The flow inlet can be positioned over a top portion of the at least one drum. The at least one drum can be a plurality of drums including a first drum and a second drum. The flow inlet can be positioned over a top portion of the first drum. The flow inlet can be positioned on the first drum and the flow outlet can be positioned on the second drum. The cyclonic flow path can be configured to separate the plurality of pieces of food product stacked into a plurality of pieces of food product, of which substantially each is individually separated from the other.

[006] The system can include a passageway establishing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a first end connected to the first drum and a second end connected to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section between the first end and the second end that narrows to the second end. The flow inlet can be aligned with the flow outlet. The first drum may have an internal diameter of approximately twelve inches. The first drum may be approximately twenty four inches long. The first drum may include a first drain valve. The second drum may include a second drain valve. The system can include a bypass flow path having a bypass input and a bypass output. The system can be articulated between a first position and a second position. The flow inlet can be aligned with the discharge (an input shaft) in the first position and the bypass inlet can be aligned with the input shaft in the second position. The at least one drum may have a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to gravitational forces.

[007] One embodiment of a method for separating a food product cut into a plurality of pieces of food product includes directing a flow of fluid along a fluid flow path from a destacker. The destacker includes at least one drum. The fluid flow is directed tangentially to the at least one drum. The flow of fluid can be from a water knife. The method includes rotating the cut food product along a length of at least one drum, wherein the cut food product is separated into a plurality of food product pieces, and removing the plurality of food product pieces from the at least one drum through a flow outlet. Substantially each of the plurality of pieces of food product that are stacked inside one another is individually separated from the other.

[008] The method may include directing the cut food product along the fluid flow path tangentially to at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The method may include removing the plurality of pieces of food product from the drum via a tangentially oriented flow outlet.

[009] The at least one drum may include a first drum and a second drum. Rotating the cut food product along a length of at least one drum may include rotating the cut food product along a length of the first drum, passing the cut food product to the second drum, and rotating the cut food product along a length of the second drum. Passing the cut food product to the second drum may include passing the cut food product along a passageway from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway can be tapered and increases the speed of the cut food product as it is passed to the second drum. The cut food product can be a potato. The potato can be cut into a plurality of helical slices. The method may include cutting the potato into the plurality of helical slices before the flow of fluid carrying the potato is directed tangentially to the at least one drum. Rotating the cut food product along the length of at least one drum may comprise making a portion of the fluid flow closest to an interior wall of the at least one drum moving at a higher speed than a portion of the fluid flow in a center of at least one drum.

[0010] The destacker can include a diversion flow path. The method may include moving the destacker, where the movement of the destacker guides the bypass flow path instead of the fluid flow path. The destacker may include a flow inlet oriented along a first axis. The bypass flow path can include a bypass entry oriented along a second axis. The second axis can be parallel to the first axis. Moving the destacker can comprise rotating (pivoting) the destacker between a shift position and a engaged position. The flow inlet is in communication with a discharge of a knife block or a water knife in the engaged position. The diversion input is in communication with the discharge in the diversion position.

[0011] A modality of a system for separating a food product cut into a plurality of pieces of food product, includes a plurality of drums, a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and a flow path. The cut food product has a plurality of pieces of food product stacked. The plurality of drums include a first drum and a second drum. The flow inlet is positioned on the first drum. The flow inlet is configured to be placed for fluid communication with a discharge from a knife block or a water knife. The flow outlet is positioned on the second drum. The flow path extends from the flow inlet to the flow outlet through the plurality of drums. The flow path is configured to give turbulence and centripetal acceleration to a cut food product received through the flow inlet. The flow path can be configured to separate the plurality of pieces of food product stacked into a plurality of pieces of food product, of which substantially each is individually separated from the other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIGS. 1-3 show an example of a destacker positioned adjacent to a water knife.

[0013] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a destacker positioned adjacent to a water knife.

[0014] FIG. 6 shows an example of a destacker.

[0015] FIGS. 7A and 8A show the embodiment of FIG. 6 in a bypass position.

[0016] FIGS. 7B and 8B show the embodiment of FIG. 6 in a engaged position.

[0017] FIG. 9A shows a detailed view of a pivot connection of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

[0018] FIG. 9B shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9A.

[0019] FIGS. 10A-10D show sequential views of a cut food product separating into a plurality of pieces of food product.

[0020] Although the invention is susceptible to several modifications and alternative forms, specific modalities have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail here. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives that fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIGS. 1-3 show an embodiment of a destacker 100 for separating cut food products. Destacker 100 is positioned to receive food products cut from a discharge 11 from a water knife 10. A knife block, or other cutting device, can be used in place of the water knife 10. A chain of water Supplementary fluid can also be used in some modalities. Although the water knife 10 and the flush 11 have shown adjacent to the destacker 100, it is appreciated that a longer flow path of the flush 11 can be used to redirect the cut food product to the destacker 100 and the destacker 100 is located later on a processing line than the cutting device. For example, the discharge 11 may include a portion that temporarily holds cut food products to be separated and / or the discharge 11 may receive cut food products from multiple cutting devices.

For example, water knife 10 can be a knife accessory as described in US patent 9,089,987, which was issued on July 28, 2015 and is entitled “Rotary Knife Fixture For Cutting Spiral, Textured Potato Pieces , ”Or US patent application 14 / 868,987, which was published on January 21, 2016 as US patent publication 2016/0016326 and entitled“ System For Cutting Spiral Shaped Pieces, ”or US patent application 14 / 937,271, which was published on March 16, 2017 as US patent publication 2017/0072581 and entitled “Flow-Propelled Rotary Knife” whose descriptions are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

As can be appreciated from these descriptions, food products such as potatoes are cut into helical slice shapes.

The helical slice shapes are interlaced around each other (stacked inside each other) and can come out of the water knife with the appearance of a full potato.

In other words, a cut food product comprises a plurality of pieces of food product stacked within one another.

Although the modalities described here may refer to helical slice shapes, it is appreciated that this invention may also be applicable to the separation of other types of original cuts that would otherwise use manual labor for separation.

By way of example, cut food formats that may benefit from this invention include, but are not limited to, those shown and described in US industrial design patents D640036, D716517, D716518, D716519, D716520, D723241, D723242, D723243, D766542 , and Registered Community Industrial Designs 003135722-0001, 003154293-0001, and 003164102-0001.

[0022] In contrast to known systems, which tend to minimize turbulence in the discharge 11 of a water knife 10 to prevent product damage, destacker 100 is configured to impart friction, directed turbulence, and centripetal acceleration to the cut food products in order to separate the individual pieces from the food products. Destacker 100 can include no moving parts and use only the flow of a fluid, such as water, carrying food products through the water knife 10. Destacker 100 includes one or more drums, such as a plurality of drums to check turbulence and centripetal acceleration to cut food products in order to separate stacked food products. As shown in FIG. 1, destacker 100 includes a plurality of drums including a first drum 110 and a second drum 140 with a passage path 130 between them. The first drum 110 and the second drum 140 can be substantially cylindrical in shape. As used here, the term "substantially" means at least almost entirely. For example, substantially each of the previously stacked pieces of food product can be individually separated from one another when at least one of the pieces of food product is not stacked with one or more of the other pieces of food product. In quantitative terms, "substantially" means at least 80% of a declared reference (for example, quantity or format). What's more, an object is cylindrical if it appears as such to a normal user, recognizing that, for example, manufacturing processes can create tolerances in shape or design and the object can include mechanisms or surface features so that the surface is not perfectly smooth or symmetrical. In some embodiments, one or both of the drums 110, 140 can be a chamber with another shape. For example, one or both of the drums 110, 140 can form a cone trunk or a hexagonal prism. The first drum 110 includes a flow inlet 101 that receives water and food products from the water knife 10 via the discharge 11. The flow inlet 101 is configured to be placed for fluid communication with the discharge 11 of a knife water 10. The flow inlet 101 can be oriented to direct the flow in a tangential direction to the inner diameter of the first drum 110 (best shown in FIG. 3). The flow inlet 101 can also be oriented approximately at a right angle to a longitudinal axis 115 of the first drum 110 (best shown in FIG. 2). As used here, the term roughly means close in value, but not necessarily accurate, such as +/- 10%.

[0023] The first drum 110 includes a first end 111 and a second end 112. Each of the first end 111 and the second end 112 can be a flanged end, as shown. The longitudinal axis 115 extends from the first end 111 to the second end 112 of the first drum. A first end cap 113 can be attached to the first end 111 and a second end cap 114 can be attached to the second end 112. One or more of the end caps 113, 114 can be made of a substantially transparent material, such as a polycarbonate or glass, which makes it possible to monitor the interior volume of the first drum 110. The end caps 113,114 can include a gasket or seal to establish a water-tight connection. The first drum 110 can be supported on a frame 12 of the water knife 10 via a support 120.

[0024] The second drum 140 includes a first end 141 and a second end 142. Each of the first end 141 and the second end 142 can be a flanged end, as shown. A first end cap 143 can be attached to the first end 141 and a second end cap 144 can be attached to the second end 142. One or more of the end caps 143, 144 can be made of a substantially transparent material, such as a polycarbonate or glass, which makes it possible to monitor the interior volume of the second drum 140. The end caps 143, 144 can include a gasket or seal to establish a watertight connection. The second drum 140 can be supported on a support arm

150. The second drum 140 includes a flow outlet 102 that discharges water and pieces of food product separate from the second drum 140. The flow outlet 102 can be oriented tangentially to the inside diameter of the second drum 140 to avoid damaging the pieces of food product (best shown in FIG. 3). In some embodiments, the flow inlet 101 of the first drum 110 and the flow outlet 102 of the second drum 140 can be aligned along the same axis 103 (shown in FIG. 2). It may be desirable for flow inlet 101 and flow outlet 102 to be aligned along the same axis 103 to shorten the length of a processing line and / or to more readily install destacker 100 within an existing processing line. Destacker 100 includes a passageway 130 connecting the first drum 110 to the second drum 140. The passageway 130 can extend from the second end 112 of the first drum 110 to the first end 141 of the second drum 140. As shown, the passageway 130 may include a first end 131 which is oriented at a right angle to the longitudinal axis 115 of the first drum 110 (best shown in FIG. 2) and / or tangentially to the inside diameter of the first drum 110 (best shown in FIG 3). A second end 132 of passageway 130 (shown in FIG. 2) can be oriented at a right angle to a longitudinal axis 145 of the second drum 140 (best shown in FIG. 2) and / or tangentially to the inner diameter of the second drum 140 (best shown in FIG. 3). The longitudinal axis 145 extends from the first end 141 to the second end 142 of the first drum 110. The passageway 130 can include a flange portion 133 (shown in FIG. 2) to facilitate assembly of the first end 131 at the second end

132. The passageway 130 may include a conical section 135 that extends to the second end 132 in such a way that water flowing through the passageway 130 must pass through an area of smaller cross section and a flow velocity is increased . The increased flow speed increases the centripetal acceleration experienced by the cut food product within the second drum 140. The increased centripetal acceleration can assist in separating the cut food product into separate pieces of food product.

[0025] With reference to FIG. 1, a food product, such as potato, is cut by the water knife 10 and continues on a fluid flow path through the discharge 11 and to the flow inlet 101 of the first drum 110. The flow within the first drum 110 creates a cyclonic flow path from the first end 111 to the second end 112 of the first drum 110. With reference to FIG. 3, with the flow inlet 101 positioned tangentially to the underside of the inner diameter of the first drum 110, the flow operates counterclockwise as it moves from the first end 111 to the second end 112 of the first drum 110. Depending on the volumetric flow of water, the first drum 110 can be substantially filled with water and the tangential orientation of the flow can cause the flow portion closest to the interior walls to move at a higher speed than a flow portion in a center of the first drum 110. As a result, the cut potato may tip over as it rotates through the cyclonic flow path.

[0026] Once the potato reaches the second end 112 of the first drum 110, it is received at the first end 131 of the passageway 130. The first end 131 of the passageway 130 may have a larger diameter than the second end 132 of the passageway

130. The larger diameter can assist in orienting the potato to the passageway 130 and inhibits the formation of a blockage. As the potato moves through the passage 130, the conical section 135 of the passage 130 increases the flow speed as the potato enters the second drum 140. The flow inside the second drum 140 creates a cyclonic flow path from the first end 141 to the second end 142 of the second drum 140. With reference to FIG. 3, with the second end 132 of passageway 130 positioned tangentially to the underside of the inner diameter of the second drum 140, the flow operates counterclockwise as it moves from the first end 141 to the second end 142 of the second drum 140. As with the first drum 110, depending on the volumetric flow of water, the second drum 140 can be substantially filled with water and the tangential flow orientation can cause the flow portion to be closest to the interior walls to move at a higher speed. As a result, the cut potato may tip over as it rotates through the cyclonic flow path. Once the potato reaches the second end 142 of the second drum 140, the separated potato pieces are discharged through the flow outlet 102 for further processing.

[0027] As an example, a flow of 2450 liters (650 gallons) per minute (LPM) was determined to be more effective in separating product than a flow rate of 1703 LPM

(450 GPM). In addition, a drum having an inner diameter of 12 inches was determined to perform better than a drum having an annular flow space, a 12 inch drum installed inside a drum having an inner diameter of 18 inches, which was determined to have better performance than a drum having an inside diameter of 18 inches. The use of two drums having an inside diameter of 12 inches and a length of 24 inches with a flow rate of 2450 LPM (650 GPM) was found to have a separation rate of more than 99%. Also by way of example, the flow inlet 101 may have an internal diameter of approximately 4 inches, the first end 131 of the passageway 130 may have an internal diameter of approximately 6 inches, the second end 132 of the passageway 130 may have an internal diameter of approximately 4 inches, and / or the flow outlet 102 can have an internal diameter of approximately 6 inches.

[0028] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a destacker 200 positioned to receive water and food products cut from a water knife 10. The destacker 200 includes a first drum 210 and a second drum 240 with a passageway 230 between them. The first drum 210 includes a first end 211 and a second end 212. A transparent end cap 214 is affixed to the second end 212. The first drum 210 is supported on a frame 12 of the water knife 10 via a support (not shown) ). The second drum 240 includes a first end 241 and a second end 242. A transparent end cap 243 is affixed to the first end 241. The second drum 240 is supported on a support arm

250. The second drum 240 includes a flow outlet 202 that discharges water and pieces of food product separate from the second drum 240. The flow outlet of the water knife 10 and the flow outlet 202 of the second drum 240 are aligned along of the same axis.

[0029] Destacker 200 includes a passageway 230 extending from the second end 212 of the first drum 210 to the first end 241 of the second drum 240. The passageway 230 includes a first end 231 which is oriented tangentially to the inner diameter of the first drum 210. A second end 232 of the passageway 230 is tangentially oriented to the inner diameter of the second drum 240. The first end 231 and the second end 232 of the passageway 230 are connected via a flange connector 233. A passageway 230 includes a conical section 235 which extends to the second end 232 in such a way that water flowing through the passageway 230 must pass through an area of smaller cross section and the flow velocity is increased. The larger diameter of the first end 231 of the passageway 230 inhibits the formation of a blockage when non-separate portions of a food product are received laterally to the passageway 230. The increased flow rate increases the centripetal experienced by the food product cut in. of the second drum 240.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, potato 50 has been cut by the water knife 10 and loaded along a cyclonic flow path from the first end 211 to the second end 212 of the first drum 210. Potato 50 has been separated into a plurality of pieces and is about to complete an hourly turn (seen from the second end 212 of the first drum 210) and be received in the passageway 230. Potato 50 separated completely by movement along the cyclonic flow path within the first drum 210. FIG. 5, the potato pieces 50 have entered the second drum 240 and are moving to the flow outlet 202. A second potato 51 has been cut by the water knife 10 and loaded along a cyclonic flow path from the first end 211 to the second end 212 of the first drum 210. A portion of the second potato 51 has been separated by movement along the cyclonic flow path within the first drum 210, but another portion of the second potato 51 remains interlaced. The second potato 51 will continue its clockwise rotation (seen from the second end 212 of the first drum 210) and be received in the passageway 230 and additional movement along the cyclonic flow path within the second drum 240 will further separate the portion tangle of the second potato 51.

[0031] FIGS. 10A-10D show sequential views of a cut food product, such as a potato 50, separating a plurality of pieces of food product as it travels through the cyclonic flow path of the destacker 200. In FIG. 10A, potato 50 has been cut into a plurality of pieces of food product which are interlaced around each other and ready to be inserted into destacker 200.

In FIG. 10B, some of the pieces of food product began to unfold one of the other pieces of food product by rotation relative to the other pieces of food product as the potato 50 moves through the cyclonic flow path. In FIG. 10C, potato 50 moved further through the cyclonic flow path and unfolded more in multiple subsets of pieces of food product, but some pieces of food product remain intertwined with other pieces of food product. In FIG. 10D, after further displacement through the cyclonic flow path, the plurality of pieces of potato food product 50 have completely unfolded from each other.

[0032] FIGS. 6-8B show an embodiment of a destacker 300 positioned to receive water and food products cut from a water knife 10. The destacker 300 includes a first drum 310 and a second drum 340 with a passageway 330 between them. The first drum 310 includes a first end 311, a second end 312, and a flow inlet 301 that receives water and food products from the water knife 10 via a discharge 11 (best shown in FIGS. 7A-7B) . The second drum 340 includes a first end 341, a second end 342, and a flow outlet 302 that discharges water and separate pieces of food product from the second drum 340 to an auxiliary flow path 20. The discharge 11 of the knife d The water 10 and the flow outlet 302 of the second drum 340 can be aligned along the same axis 303.

[0033] Destacker 300 includes a passageway

330 extending from the second end 312 of the first drum 310 to the first end 341 of the second drum 340. A portion of the passageway 330 near the first drum 310 is oriented tangentially to the inside diameter of the first drum 310. A portion of the passageway 330 near the second drum 340 is tangentially oriented to the inside diameter of the second drum 340. passageway 330 is conical to the second drum 340 in such a way that water flowing through the passageway 330 must pass through an area smaller cross-section and the flow velocity is increased. The increased flow speed increases the centripetal acceleration experienced by the cut food product inside the second drum 340. The flow inlet 301, the flow outlet 302, the first drum 310, the second drum 340, and the passageway 330 form a fluid flow path from the destacker.

[0034] The destacker 300 includes a first drain valve 315 in fluid communication with the first drum 310 and a second drain valve 345 in fluid communication with the second drum 340. When the destacker 300 is not in operation, the first drain valve drain 315 can be opened to drain any water from inside the first drum 310 and the second drain valve 345 can be opened to drain any water from the second drum 340.

[0035] Destacker 300 includes a bypass flow path 305 having a bypass entrance 306 and a bypass exit 307. Bypass entrance 306 and bypass exit 307 can be aligned along the same axis 308. The axis

308 associated with the bypass flow path 305 and axis 303 associated with flow inlet 301 and flow outlet 302 can be parallel axes. In some embodiments, bypass inlet 306 and bypass inlet 307 may not be aligned along the same axis 308, but bypass inlet 306 and flow inlet 301 can be positioned relatively in the same way as bypass 307 and flow outlet 302. In pivoting modes, flow inlet 301 and bypass inlet 306 can be equidistantly located from the pivot point within its plane of motion. Also, flow outlet 302 and bypass outlet 307 can be located equidistantly from the pivot point within their plane of motion. The destacker 300 is supported on a frame 350 with a pivot connection 320. The pivot connection 320 allows the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 to be pivoted between a offset position (shown in FIGS. 7A and 8A) and a engaged position (shown in FIGS. 7B and 8B). One embodiment of a pivot connection 320 is shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. The pivot connection 320 includes a plate 321 fixedly connected to frame 350. The second drum 340 is supported on a bearing 322, such as an Acetal bearing, which allows the second drum 340 to rotate with respect to plate 321. Plate 321 may include a recess 323 limited by a first side 324 and a second side

325. Destacker 300 may include a stop pin 326 that extends from the second drum 340 or a portion of the frame to the recess 323. Although FIGS. 9A and 9B show only the pivot connection 320 with respect to the second drum 340, it is appreciated that the first drum 310 can be pivotally connected in a similar way.

[0036] In operation, the destacker 300 can be pivoted between its bypass position and its engaged position. In the offset position shown in FIGS. 7A and 8B, the discharge 11 of the water knife 10 is in communication with the bypass entry 306 of the bypass flow path 305 and the bypass exit 307 of the bypass flow path 305 is in communication with the flow path auxiliary 20. A food product, such as potato, is cut by the water knife 10 and continues through discharge 11, to bypass entry 306 and then through bypass exit 307 of bypass flow path 305, and to auxiliary flow path 20 for further processing. In the offset position, the stop pin 326 is positioned against the first side 324 of the plate 321 (shown in FIG. 9) to prevent further rotation. In this configuration, a first set of food products, such as straight cut fries, can bypass the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 of the destacker 300. As an example, the offset position may be desirable for cuts where it is desirable minimize turbulence to prevent damage to food products.

[0037] Once the first set of food products has been cut, a cutting head inside the water knife 10 can be changed to cut and separate a second set of food products, such as twisted slices. The destacker 300 is pivoted to its engaged position (shown in FIGS. 7B and 8B). In the engaged position, the flow inlet 301 of the first drum 310 is aligned and is in communication with the discharge 11 of the water knife 10 and the flow outlet 302 of the second drum 340 is aligned and is in communication with the flow path. auxiliary 20. In the engaged position, the stop pin 326 (shown in FIG. 9B) is positioned adjacent to the second side 325 of the plate 321. In this position, the second set of food products can move through the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 to be separated. Once the cut is complete, drain valves 315 and 345 can be operated to remove water inside the first drum 310 and the second drum 340. Such drain valves 315 and 345 may be particularly desirable when the flow inlet 301 and / or flow outlet 302 are positioned over a top portion of the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 as shown. In addition, the destacker 300 can be pivoted to the bypass position to assist in draining the first drum 310 and the second drum 340. It is anticipated that in some embodiments, the orientation of the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 in the bypass position and in the engaged position it can be inverted. For example, the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 can have a horizontal orientation in the offset position and angled orientation in the engaged position. In addition, in some embodiments, at least one of the 310, 340 drums can operate in a vertical or angled orientation and the water flow would oppose gravity.

[0038] A variety of modifications and combinations of these modalities will be understood by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this invention. For example, the first drum and the second drum can be combined or oriented along the same longitudinal axis. Also for example, more than two drums can be used and / or the drums can be of varying sizes. Furthermore, the direction of rotation can be changed between drums in some modes. In some embodiments, the flow inlet and flow outlet can be positioned over a top portion of the first drum and the second drum. In other embodiments, the flow inlet and flow outlet can be positioned on a lower portion of the first drum and the second drum. In still other embodiments, the flow inlet and the flow outlet can be positioned within different planes. In some embodiments, the destacker can be moved in another way to allow orientation of a diversion flow path with the discharge of the water knife instead of the destacker fluid flow path. For example, the bypass inlet and bypass outlet can be oriented perpendicular to the flow inlet and the flow outlet and the destacker can be rotated 90 degrees to align the bypass flow path.

[0039] Additionally, it is appreciated that a reduction in the inside diameter of a drum increases the centripetal acceleration inside the drum. More robust cuts can be separated using drums of smaller inside diameter than less robust cuts. Likewise, it is appreciated that an increase in volumetric flow increases the centripetal acceleration inside the drum. More robust cuts can be separated using higher volumetric flow rates than less robust cuts. In addition, the size of the cut pieces of food product in relation to the inside diameter of the drum (s) can affect productivity and determine whether a block is likely to be formed. In addition, it is also foreseeable that the modalities described here may also apply to the separation of non-food products.

[0040] Although this invention has been described in terms of some preferred modalities, other modalities that are evident to those skilled in the art, including modalities that do not provide all of the features and advantages specified here, are also within the scope of this invention.

Claims (26)

1. System for separating a cut food product, having a plurality of pieces of food product stacked, in a plurality of pieces of food product, the system characterized by the fact that it comprises: a flow inlet to receive a cut food product having a plurality of pieces of food product stacked; a flow outlet; and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and flow outlet, where the flow inlet and flow outlet are positioned to create a cyclonic flow path through at least one drum. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the cyclonic flow path is configured to separate the plurality of pieces of food product stacked into a plurality of pieces of food product, from which each is substantially separated individually the other. 3. System, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flow inlet is oriented to direct the food product cut tangentially to the at least one drum. 4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the flow inlet is oriented to direct the cut food product to the at least one drum at a right angle with a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. 5. System according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the flow inlet is positioned on a top portion of the at least one drum. 6. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the at least one drum is a plurality of drums including a first drum and a second drum, the flow inlet being positioned on the first drum and the flow outlet being positioned on the second drum, and the system includes a passageway establishing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. 7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the passageway includes a first end connected to the first drum and a second end connected to the second drum, the passageway including a tapered section between the first end and the second end that narrows to the second end. 8. System according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the flow inlet is aligned with the flow outlet. 9. System according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the first drum has an internal diameter of approximately twelve inches. 10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the first drum is approximately twenty-four inches long. 11. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the first drum includes a first drain valve and the second drum includes a second drain valve. 12. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flow inlet is aligned with a discharge from a knife block or a water knife. 13. System according to claim 12, characterized by the fact that it also comprises a diversion flow path having a diversion inlet and a diversion outlet, in which the system is articulated between a first position and a second position, the flow inlet being aligned with the outlet in the first position and the bypass inlet being aligned with the outlet in the second position. 14. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the at least one drum has a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to gravitational forces. 15. Method for separating a food product cut into a plurality of pieces of food product, the method characterized by the fact that it comprises: directing a fluid flow along a fluid flow path from a destacker having at least one drum, the flow of fluid being directed tangentially to the at least one drum, the flow of fluid carrying a cut food product, the cut food product comprising a plurality of pieces of food product stacked within one another; rotating the cut food product along a length of at least one drum by moving the fluid flow through the fluid flow path, wherein substantially each of the plurality of pieces of food product that are stacked within one another is individually separated from the other; and removing the plurality of pieces of food product from the at least one drum through a flow outlet. 16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that directing the cut food product along the fluid flow path tangentially to the at least one drum comprises directing the cut food product along the fluid flow path tangentially to the at least one drum at a right angle with a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. 17. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that removing the plurality of pieces of food product from the drum via the flow outlet comprises removing the plurality of pieces of food product from the drum via a tangentially oriented flow outlet . 18. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the at least one drum includes a first drum and a second drum, and rotating the cut food product along a length of the at least one drum comprises: turning the food product cut along a length of the first drum; passing the cut food product to the second drum; and rotating the cut food product along a length of the second drum. 19. Method according to claim 18, characterized in that passing the cut food product to the second drum comprises passing the cut food product along a passage path from the first drum to the second drum, in which the passageway is tapered and increases the speed of the cut food product as it is passed to the second drum. 20. Method according to claim 15, characterized by the fact that the cut food product is a potato. 21. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that it further comprises cutting the potato into a plurality of helical slices before the fluid flow carrying the potato is directed tangentially to the at least one drum. 22. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that rotating the cut food product along the length of at least one drum comprises making a portion of the fluid flow the closest to an interior wall of the at least one drum move at a higher speed than a portion of the fluid flow in a center of at least one drum. 23. Method, according to claim 15, characterized by the fact that the destacker includes a diversion flow path, and the method further comprises moving the destacker, in which the movement of the destacker guides the diversion flow path instead of the fluid flow path. 24. The method of claim 23, characterized by the fact that the destacker includes a flow input oriented along a first axis and the diversion flow path includes a diversion input oriented along a second axis, the second axis being parallel to the first axis, and moving the destacker comprises rotating the destacker between a bypass position and an engaged position, where the flow inlet is in communication with a discharge of a knife block or water knife in the engaged position and the bypass inlet is in communication with the discharge in the bypass position. 25. System for separating a cut food product, having a plurality of pieces of food product stacked, in a plurality of pieces of food product, the system characterized by the fact that it comprises: a plurality of drums, including a first drum and a second drum; a flow inlet positioned on the first drum, the flow inlet being configured to be placed in fluid communication with a discharge from a knife block or a water knife; a flow outlet positioned on the second drum; and a flow path extending from the flow inlet to the flow outlet through the plurality of drums, where the flow path is configured to impart turbulence and centripetal acceleration to a cut food product having a plurality of pieces of stacked food product received through the flow inlet. 26. System according to claim 25, characterized in that the flow path is configured to separate the plurality of pieces of food product stacked into a plurality of pieces of food product, each of which is substantially individually separated from the other.